Roland Garros: Day 7 Preview

The seeds have held up well at Roland Garros in the first week, and so as the top half of the draw plays its third round matches they are bumping into each other all over the place. A blockbuster clash between two multiple Grand Slam champions will no doubt steal the headlines.

Chatrier

[12] Maria Sharapova (RUS #13) vs. [22] Justine Henin (BEL #23)
H2H: Henin leads 6-3
2010 W-L (All surfaces/clay): Sharapova (13-3/7-1)… Henin (23-6/7-2)

It's unlikely the players see it this way, but one of the fun by-products of early retirements, injury breaks and comebacks is that multiple Grand Slam champions and former world No.1s start colliding in high-stakes early-round matches. The last time these two fine players met on clay was five years ago, right here at Roland Garros in the quarterfinals; perhaps not surprisingly, Henin was the victor, as she was on their only other outing on clay. All things considered the 28-year-old Belgian probably deserves to be labeled the favorite again today, but you've got to hand it to Sharapova: after a hit and miss season she knuckled down to win the International-level lead-in and Strasbourg, which means she is riding a seven-match streak on her least favorite surface. If there's any justice, it will be a barnburner.

Lenglen

[18] Shahar Peer (ISR #18) vs. [13] Marion Bartoli (FRA #14)
H2H: Peer leads 6-2
2010 W-L (All surfaces/clay): Peer (29-10/11-3)… Bartoli (13-8/3-4)

Entering Roland Garros Peer had played more matches (37) and won more matches (27-10) than any other player on the Tour. Consequently, the 23-year-old Israeli is playing this event on her best ranking in two years, with several other impressive statistics on her ledger. Along with Henin, she has had the most wins over Top 10 players in 2010 (5-5, to the Belgian's 5-1), and she boasts a perfect record in three set matches (11-0); what's more, six of her 10 losses have been to the eventual champion. In a way, her mastery of Bartoli is surprising, but the Frenchwoman - who has admirably kept her place in the Top 20 for three years now - seems to have been galvanized by Aravane Rezai's recent successes. And just a little bit keen to remind everyone she's still the host nation's No.1.

Court 2

[16] Yanina Wickmayer (BEL #16) vs. [23] Daniela Hantuchova (SVK #26)
H2H: Hantuchova leads 3-0
2010 W-L (All surfaces/clay): Wickmayer (25-7/7-2)… Hantuchova (21-10/7-3)

Talent-wise there can be no doubt the statuesque Hantuchova, with her fluid all-court game, belongs in the elite, as evidenced by her 5-5 record against Top 20 opponents this season. But if the former world No.5 is to enjoy the sort of autumnal renaissance enjoyed by someone like Elena Dementieva, this is exactly the sort of match she needs to win. On that front, efficient straight-set wins so far this week augur well; sometimes she is quick out of the gates but gets nervous when victory is in sight. For her part, Wickmayer is one of just three players who've enjoyed 10-match streaks this season (the others being Samantha Stosur and Venus Williams), but minor surgery on her right elbow kept the 20-year-old out of Madrid, taking the wind out of her sails somewhat. Both have shown tremendous heart at Fed Cup this year; playing for personal pride, both will want this one desperately.

More to watch: Top seed Serena Williams opens against No.29 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Chatrier. Fourth seed Jelena Jankovic is up last on Lenglen, taking on No.27 seed Alona Bondarenko - who beat her at the Australian Open. Seventh-seeded Stosur plays Russian qualifier Anastasia Pivovarova on Court 1. Alisa Kleybanova, the No.28 seed, plays Yaroslava Shvedova - conqueror of Agnieszka Radwanska - second on Court 7.